Cotton chopper



Sept. 18, 1923. 5 1,468,244

W. T MARABLE COTTON CHOPPER Filed Oct. 28, 1920 s Sheets-Sheet 1 1W ENTOR Ma VVilliamZMar le AT T Y8.

Sept. 18, 1923.

w. T. MARABL;

COTTON CHOPPER Filed Oct. 28, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 William? Sept. 18,1923.

4 w T. MARABLE ImMvR Williaml To aZZ whOnZitMag TmizcQML 7 7 Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. NIARABLEL Patented Sept. 18, 1923.

common cnorrnn; 1

Application filed October 2s, 1.920. seria1 1wo.42o,24a. I.

a citizen of the United States;v residing at El Centro, in the county of Imperial and State of California, have invented new and. useful Improvements in Cotton Choppers,

of which the following-isa specification.

thinned out, the machine also forming means; for protectingthe cotton which is left stand;

ing. 7 The invention. will bereadily understood from the followin description of the accom a panyrngdrawmgs, in which i Figure 1 1s a plan View of a chopper constructed in accordance with the invention,

1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is avertical section through the same on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 3 isa detail section on the hue 3-3 at is a 5 is adetail perspectivevlew of one of the plant protectors of the machine;

. Fig 6 is a side elevation of the cotton chopperand a traction-devicefor the same;

Fin-,7 is a fragmentary plan view of the traction device, g The chopper COIlSlStST-QSSGDUQHY of a frame :1 adapted to be drawn by any suit able power and having a frame 2 vertically adjustable within the; same. 7 carries a rotating. shaft, 3 carrying chopper arms 1. The chopperarms aretransversely spaced across frame 2, and plant protectors 5 are arranged between-the choppers. The

rear end of frame l is supported by skids 6.

Referring in detail to the embodiment of the invention ill ustrated,frame 1 is shown as a rectangular frame connected at its front endby eye bolts 8 to a cross bar 9 of a suit able traction device. The skids 6'supporting the rear end of frame 1 are shown as pro jecting in rear of said frame and are mounted upon vertical bearing pins 10 which are received 1n suitable bearing brackets 11 extending rearwardly from the'frame 1.

The frameQ is also shown as a rectangular frame fitting within frame 1 and arranged for vertical movement relative to the same.

The means for adjusting frame 2 relative to bearings 13 for screw bolts 14. Thesescrew bolt-s may be provided with hand wheels 15 ide elevation of the chopperr The frame 2 above the bearings andlthe: '1

depending threaded ends ildof said bolts are; received through suitable apertures 13 g are threaded throughlthesenuts so that rolower 7 frame '2 'withrelatiomto frame ,1. 5

The shaft 3 is shown as a squared shaft Y tation of the hand wheels- 15will raiseand t is the object of'this invention to pro; vide a cotton chopper which Will form an; efiicient machine whereby cottonmay be having rounded end portions 20.journaled in frame 2. Theendsofthe shaftprOjeJ-t beyond frame 2 through suitable vertically elongated bearings 21 arrangedto accommodate the shaft as the latter .is raised and f lowered with frame 2 relative to frame, 1.

Sprocket wheels22 are provided upon the ends of the shaft beyond frame 1 and: sprocket chains 23, are rece-ived over these sprocket wheels. 'Theosprocket chains mayj be driven by an suitable rotating means, p referably,'a part of thetraction devicei Choppers mountedupon' the 'shaftc3 withinframe 2 areshown as each comprising" a hub 25 fixednponl'shaft 3' an d having the radially extendin spaced arms '26. A U- shaped bracket 2 is fixed upon the, arms .26 with the arms of said-bracket projecting' radially andterminating in inwardly turned ends 28. A 'cutter'blade29fis mountedluponz these inwardly. turned; ends of bracket 27. and may be fixed thereto by meansfof bolts 30.- Knife edges 31 are provided at the op posite edges of blades 29 sothatwhen one edge of the blade has become dull .the'blade may be reversed upon its supporting bracket a he pplosite edge of the sameth'ereby brought into operative position. The choppers are spaced transversely,alongshaft 3 'so that a space is left between blades of adjacent choppers which 'is' of a width slightly greater than the cotton plants'which it is de sired to leave along rows of said plants;

The protectors arranged between adjacent choppers include side walls 35 extending downwardly so as to rest-upon the ground and connected to a top '36iso spacing the side walls as to permit the cotton'left standing to be received withinthe protector thus formed. The protectors may be supported.

in position by strips 37 extending throu the same with the tops 36 resting upon said strips and the ends of the strips secured to the frame 2 as shown at38. V The protectors areof just suflici entwidth to b received over the cotton which is to be left standingiand-outwardly projecting blades 40 'ma-yiextend" from side walls 35 at V the lower "edges of the same inorderto f afterthe cottonchopper has moved across afield; it will benoted that uponthe return clear out the cottonb'etween blades 29 and the side walls of the vprotectors. 7

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be noted that the choppers 4 at the respective ends of the machine are of approximately half the width of the rema-ining choppers. Thusit will be seen that when in use. the outside paths cut by the chopper through the standing cotton; willbe half the width of them-- termediate' pa-ths; By lthis arrangement per with-relation to th'e next preceding out.

As previously stated the cotton chopper may 'be'dra-wn by any suitable traction device, but in practice it will-be foundexpedient to draw the chopperby means'of an animaldrawn carriage such as isillustrated inFigs. 6 and 7 This carriage is shown as including acrectangular'frame 41 carrying the" axle 42 upon which is mounted the wheels 43. drivers" seat: 44 may be mounted upon the frame and shafts 45 or a suitable tongue m'ay project forwardly from the frame in order toform a usual hitch for draft animalss Shoes 46' are arranged in the front offthe frame'in order to cut furrows in'which the wheels are adapte'dto run;

These shoes are, preferably, vertically adjustable intheir brackets by means of a rock shaft 48 5 journaled' upon. the; carriage:

frame and. suitably connected 'to the shoes. The rock shaft may be; provided with an actuatinglever49. As .shown'in the draw ings the carriage for drawing the cotton choppefmay be' connected to the cotton chopper bythe eye bolt connection'8 secured to'therearof the carriage frame and'to the front of frame 1 ofgth'e cotton rchopper. The sprocket chains 23 whieh are 'received over the-sprocket wheels 22 may be actuated fromthe carriagefordrawing the chopper as by "means 'ofsprocket wheels '51 fixed uponthe axle 42, the sprocket chainsbeing received over said sprocket wheels, as clear- 1y illustrated in Fig. 6.

' Various changes may be made without departing from '-th'e' spi'rit' of gnie invention.

asclaimech V V c 7 What iscla-im'ed'is: i r

1. A cotton chopperi=coinprising -aframe;- a plurality oftransversely spacedrotatahle chopping members carried: by' said frame, the I endm'ost members being of less width than the ln't'erme'diate members;- and means for actuating all of themembers.

2. A cotton chopper including a plurality: of transversely spa-ced rotatable chopping? members, plant protectors arrangedzbetween said chopplng members, and cutter blades extending transversely from said plant' protectors:

3. In combination; a movable chop g')ing member, a plant protector associated- 1 with the member, and stationary cutting means carried by the protector for the purpose described,

'4; A eotton'chopper comprising a-plural ity of chopping members, plant protectors arranged between the "members, and cutter blades on the protectorsat points in ad- Vance of'the chopping-members.

5.' A cotton chopper comprising aisup;

V 1 porting frame, an adjustable frame within brackets -17 at the supporting frame," ashaft journaled in the adjustable frame and movable 'vertical ly 1n the SuppOrting 'fframe, screws carried by thesupporting frame and 'engageable with the adjustable frame to 'vary the ver tical position ofth'e'f latter, I chopping me-in bers-securedito said shaft, andplant pro tectors supported by" the adjustable frame interposed between the chopping "inembersfi In testimony whereof ffhave signed my name to this specification." 7

WILIJIA T; MAR-ABLE; 

